


Healer!Zuko AU Outline

by Stydealized



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Healer!Zuko AU, I don't know what I'm doing but isn't that kind of the point?, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Relationships, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, i am pretty sure no one has done this yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:13:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22990783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stydealized/pseuds/Stydealized
Summary: Based off of Dawen's fics with Ursa, this is an outline for an AU where Zuko eventually goes to live with his mother's side of the family, the Living Spirit Clan.(This isn't really a choice, but when you've got Ozai as a terrible excuse of a father, does it really matter?)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 271





	1. Pre-Canon (Pt.1)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/gifts), [Dawen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawen/gifts).
  * Inspired by [What A Mom Does](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13388442) by [Dawen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawen/pseuds/Dawen). 



> *shows up 10 years later to the Avatar Fandom with Starbucks*
> 
> Also, this is my first time using AO3, so if things look weird, please tell me and I'll try to fix them! 
> 
> (Planning to actually write this story if I ever finish the outline, so... stay tuned folks?)

It’s not that he wants to do this, but it’s the only idea he’s got, which is why the seven year old Prince of the Fire Nation is perching on the roof of the palace the moment the sun’s down and the shadows can keep him hidden. He knows that the healers keep a large supply of aloe vera in their stores at all times, but there was no way he was going to actually go and tell the healers outright that he burned himself from firebending. Or that Azula contributed to that. That would make the whole trip pointless if word got back to her.

It’s not even that bad, because it probably won’t scar, but spirits, they still hurt and itch at the same time.

No, he’s worried that the healers might let something slip to his father. So actually going and talking is out of the question. It’s also not cause he’s already suffering a light form of pre-Avatar hunting emotional constipation.

The only conceivable plan he can come up with? There aren’t any guards on the roof and if he wears something dark enough, he could probably hide when night falls.

Maybe now would be a good time to put that sneaking practice Mom taught him to good use. So after he scouts out the window where the palace infirmary is and memorizes the rotations of the guards, he makes his way across the roof once the moon is in the sky.

Things seem too good to be true when he actually manages to get inside the palace infirmary and sneak some of the aloe vera, not enough that they’d notice any missing, but enough, he hopes, to soothe the irritating burns on his arms and side.

But as Zuko Luck ™ would have it, on the way back to his room, the young prince slips from a loose tile at the last second and takes an unfortunate tumble into the courtyard, alerting almost all the guards in the vicinity. Luckily, it’s one of the lowest points of the roof and a tree breaks part of his fall, unluckily, Zuko still gets pretty hurt.

\---------

Kyoko, the lead healer, gets quite a shock to see Prince Zuko in a guard’s arms, covered in light scratches and bruises and with a very uncomfortable looking break in his leg.

(“We’re REALLY sorry to bother you, Healer Kyoko, but you were the only one we thought would still be up this late and…”)

The guards with him sheepishly rest the unconscious boy on the bed before they skedaddle and Kyoko is left to take care of this poor child on their own.

Luckily, he hasn’t broken any ribs, but that leg… ouch. And those first degree burns they can find on his body coupled with the bruises from the fall... They sense this child is going to give many people a headache in the future and makes a note to try and work out an easier migraine remedy in their free time.

When Zuko wakes up the next morning, his leg feels uncomfortably heavy and this isn’t… his bed…

Healer Kyoko comes into the room with their medical supplies and the bearer of bad news and uh oh, things start to unravel.

The first red flag that pops up is when Prince Zuko doesn’t ask about how bad his leg is, but if the Fire Lord will find out about his accident.

When Kyoko tells them that they would have to mention this to the Fire Lord because it was their duty, he goes absolutely pale and begins to beg the healer not to say anything, before he cuts himself off and accepts his fate.

Kyoko is also concerned at how well the Prince is taking the pain or as well as he thinks he is. Taking it more quietly than some of the soldiers they’ve had to work with.

But the moment the dots connect...

Kyoko has never wanted to scalp the Fire Lord’s stupidly glossy head of hair more up until this point. But of course, with treason and all, plus the fact they rather want to keep their hard-earned position, zips their lips about that specific matter.

Unfortunately, with the state his leg is in, Zuko won’t be able to do katas for at least 6 weeks, maybe 8 if it’s worse than Kyoko thought. Not to mention, the other potential bruises and injuries he got from that fall, so nothing strenuous on his body at all. That’s final, they command, when Prince Zuko tries to argue back.

All Zuko can do is steel himself for the inevitable news getting back to his father.

\---------

Maybe it was interference from a higher-up with mercy on him (he’s not ruling out Agni as a contender), but somehow the outcome isn’t nearly as terrifying as Zuko thought it would be.

According to Ozai, as “punishment” for stealing from them, Zuko has to help Kyoko out with their duties and whatever they deemed assistance from him. No matter how demeaning.

Usually, Kyoko never asks him to do too much, just help them prepare some medicine or organizing their cabinets, small chores like that.

Most of the actual bloody work is done by Kyoko, who lets Zuko be an assistant on the side.

They don’t expect the young prince to take much interest in this, no one except Ursa and maybe Lu Ten gave even the hint of interest, Lu Ten mostly for making sure Ursa was kept in good health when she was pregnant with both royal heirs.

But it’s actually the opposite, Zuko becomes VERY interested in healer work. Not that he’d want to admit it out loud to Kyoko in case they rejected it.

One day after a week or two of being their helper, when the two take a break from restocking some of the medicinal stores and visit the hawkery for fun (Gingersnap and Cayenne had a couple of new chicks together), he asks Kyoko if maybe… they could show him how to heal like they do, and braces himself for the inevitable ‘No’. They probably have better things to do than teach him-

‘Yes’ is what catches him off guard. Because it never felt like anyone was accepting of his interests. Azula always laughed when he wanted to sneak a look at one of their mom’s theater scrolls instead of doing whatever was recommended to them. (Theater scrolls being woefully absent.)

“I think it would be an honor to teach you my tricks of the trade, Prince Zuko.” Kyoko still has many years before they need to find a worthy apprentice to train, but testing out their methods of teaching wouldn’t be much of a bother.

From then on, a chunk of their time together is dedicated to Zuko learning the art of healing.

\---------

Zuko learns Kyoko is far more patient and accepting of mistakes than most of his teachers ever were (because they’re not actually doing any of this stuff on patients, but test dummies instead). And… Kyoko lets him take his time learning what they’re teaching him instead of trying to get him to speed up to the same level Azula is. (No competition, just going at his own pace and learning it right.)

It’s relaxing, therapeutic almost, to just listen to Kyoko demonstrate how to patch wounds or to identify an illness. It’s always made him feel a little better than his tutor telling him all the ways to burn a victim and leave them helpless.

They are honestly... So proud when Zuko tries to help a turtleduck with a broken wing and aside from the bindings being a little too loose, his splint is properly aligned. (But seriously, child, please don’t sneak wild animals into the infirmary again, alright?) (...Fine.)

Six weeks pass by a lot faster than either Zuko or Kyoko expected and soon, he’s back to practicing firebending with Azula, who taunts him for “being stuck with the healer for so long”. He tries to defend them, but Ozai shuts down that idea real fast, claiming that it was no one’s fault but his own that Healer Kyoko had to deal with him for six weeks and next time, if Zuko gets caught doing a stunt like his little trek across the roof again, he will NOT be so lenient.

\--------

It’s only after a few days of normalcy Zuko finds he really misses Kyoko’s company and their slow pace compared to all the other fast parts of his routine. But his leg is fine and has no reason to visit them (let alone that Kyoko would have time to visit with him), unless…

Kyoko is alarmed at how quickly Zuko ends up back in the infirmary after his leg has healed, this time with a large cut on his arm and an expression of guilt. (That guilt isn’t stemmed from the place Kyoko thinks it is.)

It takes them only one or two more unexpected visits before Kyoko realizes what’s going on. (Of course the benefit of the doubt stopped them from acting on any suspicions they had earlier.)

The moment Kyoko finds out that Zuko keeps hurting himself to visit them, they give the prince a chewing out of a lifetime, you stupid boy, you can visit me whenever you wish without needing to hurt yourself, you’re worth so much more than that-

He’s stunned into silence and Kyoko almost worries if it’s too much all at once, so they go slower.

“Please… I wouldn’t mind if more people came to visit me. It gets lonely sometimes, even with all the servants and guards.”

“...I know what you mean. I get lonely too.”

\-------

In the end, the two promise to meet at least once a week if their schedules allow it and both of them end up feeling a little less burdened afterwards.

(It’s… refreshing to say the least that there’s another person he can get close to, aside from his mother, cousin and uncle.)

(Darn attachment, making this kid grow on them and actually hoping to run into him again by chance, if just to talk.)

Of course, this wouldn’t be Zuko’s life without a lightning strike in the turtleduck pond.

(No actual turtleducks were actually harmed in that metaphor.)


	2. IMPORTANT NOTE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please read below, this is not an actual update, but something equally as important. I hope you can understand my decision and don't feel too disappointed.

Sadly, this is not an update of fruit, but this has been severely nagging at my mind since yesterday after posting the first chapter and I felt I should get it out of my way.

I know I just started this outline and have so much I want to share with you guys, but I also really want to write this as a fic. The full blown fic, with more details, better polish and storytelling, etc. 

(The outline itself I had planned, is kind of like scene skeletons or a VERY basic fic with some meat on them, but I feel that you guys and this idea deserves better than what it's already got.)

I would be stopping the outline here, but beginning and staying dedicated to the fic this outline was made for.

I'm really sorry if you guys were hoping for more of this, but I hope that when the fic comes out, that it'll make up for the sudden change.

I appreciate all of the comments, bookmarks and kudos this small thing has gotten.

Stay creative

\- Stydealized


End file.
